Friday, February 19, 2010

The Kindle, Nook, Ipad, and other electronic book readers are all the rage right now. My best friends don't have one, but want one. Me? Nah, no thanks.

I will admit the idea is somewhat cool, but I am a book lover. Not just someone who likes to read - I love books. There is a difference. Of course, I like to read the books too. Back when I actually had my own place and had bookshelves full of books, not packed away in boxes in a storage shed, I loved to sit on the floor, and pull a few books off of the shelf and look through them. Some had really cool/exciting endings that I liked to read again, or other parts in the book. Some are books with severak stories in, and I would turn the page to a favorite story or ancedote.

All of that is lost with an EBR. You can't feel the book, smell the book. OK, that might sound weird, but books do have a smell, especially if you've had them a long time.

I really can't come up with a reson to have an ERB. Convenience? How so? I have never, ever, been anywhere that I couldn't have just as easily taken a few books along than an EBR. Yeah, I know, you can store so many more books on one. So what. When I go on vacation for a week to the ocean, I usually take 10-12 books along, and they easily slide in under a seat or somewhere. I read fast, but even I wouldn't read 100 books on a week's vacation. 10-12 - yeah, I've done it.

Maybe I'm old-fashioned, but I like to see and hold what I pay for. Music is the same way. Oh, I will download a song or two here and there, but if it is any artist I listen to much at all, and buy a whole CD of, I want the CD. I want to see it, feel it, read the song lyrics, and not just have it on my computer and Ipod. I do enjoy my Ipod, but 99% of what is on it, I have the actual CDs of and can stick in my car. And it is convenient to carry around a small item that fits in my pocket, but holds close to 5000 songs. Beats carrying a boombox and a ton of CDs - but I still like having the CDs.

Back to the EBR - it just isn't for me. One of my friends said you could buy the book and the electronic one - uh, no. I have never had that kind of money that I could afford two copies of a book, even if one were electronic, so for me, give me a book. A real paper book that I can feel in my hands. That I can phsyically turn the pages, and not click a little arrow or something. Is the EBR here to stay? I don't know, but if they depend on me to stay afloat, they won't last another day. Here is a toast to real, physical books!

2
comments:

That was my initial reaction too. I love the feel of a real book. (And the smell!) However, after thinking about it, I think it could be kinda neat. You can download any book, anytime, anywhere. It's cheaper and you can even get some free books. Plus, our book shelves are over-flowing as it is. We just don't have the room for more. I'll keep my favorites and will still always buy and love the feel of a real book, but I think the ereaders are kinda cool. I'm still contemplating, but I'm leaning towards getting one someday.

I wouldn't want them to replace the good books I want to own forever, but I get free ebooks all the time (for homeschooling). It is a lot of waste of paper and ink (which is ridiculously expensive) if we are only going to read the book once.

I know what you mean though... if it is a book I want to keep, I prefer the real thing (I too love the smell!).

I review books for:

Note to authors: I do review for some publishers, but if you are interested in getting a book reviewed, doing a email review, or even a guest blog, contact me. I am primarily interested in Christian fiction, and other types of Christian books. I also like to host giveaways.

I do prefer physical copies, as I never read e-books.

Also interested in reviewing other items. Email: marcus802001(at)yahoo(dot)com

About Me

I live in Lisbon, Ohio. I am single, and am uncle to the six greatest kids in the world. I enjoy blogging about Christian fiction, my family, Christianity, and the events of my life.
I deal personally with same-sex attraction, but am living according to God's Word with His help.
If you are an author, particularly Christian fiction, and need someone to review your book, give me a holler.